Sinking chips

Chipmakers are finding that emerging from an industry-wide slump is a slow, arduous process. Though some analysts have speculated that the semiconductor sector has bottomed out, earnings reports and warnings from some of its bellwethers tell a different story. Today, National Semiconductor reported that its earnings and sales are still suffering, LSI Logic warned of a shortfall, and Analog Devices posted weak earnings while predicting more hard times still to come.